In this article at the Chronicle of Higher Education, linguist Geoffrey Pullum looks at how the names of political scandals are constructed. Some, like Watergate (the scandal arising out of a Nixon-era break-in at the Watergate hotel), are tied to the scene of the crime, with the name now broadened to include “an array of clandestine and often illegal activities undertaken by members of the Nixon administration,” some having little to do with the break-in. But what about Weinergate, and Windrush? Read on to find out more!
eSwatini – the new name for Swaziland?
Last month, King Mswati III of Swaziland, one of the world’s few remaining absolute monarchs, announced the news: The country will henceforth be known as eSwatini, the kingdom’s name in the local language. (It means “land of the Swazis” in the Swazi — or siSwati — tongue.) Many African countries upon independence “reverted to their ancient, native names,” The Associated Press quoted the king as saying. “We no longer shall be called Swaziland from today forward.” According to Reuters, Mswati argued that the kingdom’s name had long caused confusion. “Whenever we go abroad, people refer to us as Switzerland,” the king said, according to Reuters.
Whether the name change will stick is another question. In 2016, Czech officials put forward Czechia as the preferred short version of the name of their country. The United Nations, the United States government and — crucially, in the digital age — Google Maps and Apple have complied, but the name Czech Republic remains in widespread use in English. To find out more, click through to this article at the New York Times.
Call for Papers: 2019 ANS Conference Special Panel on Literary Names
The ANS is inviting abstract submissions for a panel on Literary Names for the 2019 annual conference to be held in conjunction with the Linguistic Society of America. The purpose of the panel is to highlight research in, and study of, names in works of fiction.
All professional names enthusiasts are invited to submit an abstract for a 20-minute presentation. Abstract proposals should answer one or more of the following questions:
- How do the texts under analysis make use of onomastics to establish and convey character and/or plot?
- How does linguistic analysis bear on the reading of these texts?
- How is the field of onomastics enhanced by your research?
To submit a proposal, simply send a 250-word abstract proposal and a 100- word professional biography to Susan Behrens [sbehrens@mmm.edu] by the 15th of July 2018. For organizational purposes, please be sure to include the phrase “ANS 2019 Panel” in the subject line of your email.
All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Official notification of proposal acceptances will be sent on or before September 30, 2018. All authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of the ANS and need to register with both the ANS and the Linguistic Society of America. Please feel free to contact Susan Behrens should you have any questions or concerns.
We look forward to receiving your submission!
Skopje is the capital of…?
Here is a quiz for you. What is the name of the country with these four official languages (no, it’s not Switzerland…): Albanian, Turkish, Romani, and Serbian? Its capital city is called Skopje. It achieved independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in September of 1991. Its international calling code number is “389” and it is located in the Balkan peninsula of southeastern Europe. If you guessed Macedonia, you could be right. But then again, maybe not. Confused? Irritated? Asking yourself what is going on? So are the inhabitants of the country who call themselves Macedonians. That is, the Macedonians who live in Macedonia and not in Greece – and that is precisely the point of contention. Read more about this complex political situation at Foreign Policy.
Call for Papers: 2019 ANS Conference Special Panel on Names and Tourism
The ANS is inviting abstract submissions for a panel on Names and Tourism for the 2019 annual conference, to be held in New York in conjunction with the Linguistic Society of America. The purpose of the panel is to highlight research in and the study of names in relation to tourism discourses. More specifically, naming practices in tourism are relevant as they suggest distinction, originality, authenticity or even romance for a number of reasons. The range of issues at stake is quite broad as it may include linguistic, literary, historical and archeological references to local traditions as well as the strategies adopted to rebrand places to make them more appealing to potential visitors.
All names enthusiasts are invited to submit an abstract for a 20-minute presentation. Abstract proposals should focus on one or more of the following areas of interest:
- archaeological sites and tourism
- film/documentary-induced tourism
- history, collective memory and tourism discourses
- literature-induced tourism
- tangible/ intangible heritage tourism
To submit a proposal, simply send a 250-word abstract proposal and a 100- word professional biography to Luisa Caiazzo [luisa.caiazzo@unibas.it] by the 15th of July 2018. For organizational purposes, please be sure to include the phrase “ANS 2019 Panel” in the subject line of your email.
All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Official notification of proposal acceptances will be sent on or before September 30, 2018. All authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of the ANS and are expected to register with both the ANS and the Linguistic Society of America. Please feel free to contact Luisa Caiazzo should you have any questions or concerns.
A downloadable version of the call for papers can be found here.
We look forward to receiving your submission!
Survey request on surnames
Here’s your chance to contribute to onomastic research! If you have a moment, please participate in this short survey for Dr. Donna Lillian, past president of the American Name Society. Here is her announcement:
… Read MoreI have been conducting surveys on marital and family surname choices since 1985, approximately once per decade, and I have recently launched a new survey on this topic.
Join the ANS
If you enjoy reading about names, we encourage you to join the ANS and share your name news with us!… Read More
Choosing your Grandma Name is Serious Business
Whether they’re called Nonni, Gammy, Tutu, Nana, Mamaw, Mimi, or Grammy, grandmothers hold a special place in our lives. Check out this great video from It’s A Southern Thing that reveals the secret of how grandmothers get their Grandma Names.
“Sweet Jesus” ice cream is here to stay
I scream, you scream, why is everybody screaming about ice cream? A Canadian ice cream company has begun to establish branches in the United States. Normally that news would make most residents of the lower 48 jump for joy. But, in this case, the name of the company has already caused quite a ruckus before most of the shop doors have even had a chance to open. The company’s name just happens to be “Sweet Jesus” and for some ice cream lovers, that onomastic choice is just too much to take. Other religiously-inspired food names are far from unusual. Aside from culinary favorites like Angel and Devil’s Food Cake, St. Lucia Buns, Hot Cross Buns, and good old fashioned Easter eggs, there are a number of companies that have taken their inspiration from Christianity when developing their business moniker.
Does a “burger” have to be made of meat?
What goes into a really good burger? Or a devastatingly delicious filet? Or how about a wonderfully spiced breakfast sausage? As far as the French government is concerned, one of the main ingredients for any of these products has to be meat. That means that vegetarian and vegan products which contain no animal products should not be allowed to carry names that have been traditionally associated with meat (e.g. sausage, burger, bacon, etc.). Supporters of the name-prohibition say this prohibition is all about product transparency. Critics say this is more about money than honesty. Click through to this article at News.com.au for more!